With Android Nougat just a few weeks away from release, it looks like the latest Nexus phones will have quite a few new features to offer on the software front.
Google is introducing a new layout for its settings in the upcoming Nexus phones. From screenshots we can observe a dual-pane UI which shows sections for “all” and “support”. The support tab features are likely exclusive to Nexus devices. We can also observe a new colour palette being used in the settings menu. It looks like the colours have been swapped for a darker grey, blue and white UI from the current grey, teal and white UI. While subtle, the change looks good.
Google is also introducing a “Night Light” mode – previously called Night Mode – where the display is tinted red for easier viewing in the evenings or situations with less light. Despite Google previously mentioning that Night Mode wouldn’t be in the final Nougat release, it would appear that we will see it, at least in Nexus devices. Users now have the option to manually turn on the “Night Light” feature or adjust it based on a custom schedule.
Lastly, Google is introducing the ability to activate the ambient display mode via double-tapping the screen. Dubbed the “Quick Screen Check”, you no longer need to fully wake or unlock the display to check notifications. This is in addition to the current behaviour where the ambient display activated when the phone was picked up.
We don’t know if these changes will be implemented to Google’s previous Nexus devices along with the final Android Nougat release. However, we should definitely see them on the upcoming Sailfish and Marlin Nexus devices which are due to come out in the next couple of months.